草莓社区

History has shown us unbridled fear left unchecked. When fear is the guiding force for an individual or society, beliefs of right and wrong are tainted. The result is chaos, the distortion of truth, and the destruction of life鈥檚 innate goodness.

Arthur Miller鈥檚 Pulitzer Prize-winning drama 鈥淭he Crucible鈥� deftly illustrates the parallel of the Salem witch trials in 1693 Massachusetts and the 1950s McCarthy hearings to root out communism during what is referred to as 鈥淭he Red Scare.鈥� Miller was accused of supporting communism and expected to name others. 

草莓社区 Theater reimagines 鈥淭he Crucible鈥� as an allegory for today鈥檚 society in a soul-searching production that premieres in the Studio Theater this fall. Professor Justin Poole, theater program director, hopes the performance sparks conversations so 鈥渨e can learn from our mistakes,鈥� he said.

This production will likely unsettle, offend, and leave you asking, 鈥榃hat now?鈥� That’s the goal. Some of the best art challenges us, and at EMU Theater we strive to make art that matters.鈥�

Justin Poole, director, ‘The Crucible’

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Ticket Information

鈥淭he Crucible鈥� runs Oct. 28-Nov. 5, in the Studio/Blackbox Theater, University Commons. Performances are 7 p.m. Oct. 28, 29, Nov. 3, 4, and 5, and 2 p.m. Oct. 30.

Reserved seating only. Adults,$20; Senior (65+), non-EMU students or child (0-18), $18; EMU students, $6. Discounts are available for groups of ten or more. Click on the link above or call 540-432-4582 between 10:30 a.m. 鈥� 2:30 p.m. weekdays. Online tickets subject to a $2/ticket processing fee. Online tickets are available until 2 hours prior to each performance. Tickets at the door are an additional $2/ticket with the exception of EMU students. Show length is three hours. Intermission.

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‘Into the action’

Seated on all four sides of the stage, the audience will be 鈥渋mmersed in this environmentally-staged version,鈥� Poole said, 鈥渢o experience the parallels between the Salem witch trials, the Red Scare, and today鈥檚 society.鈥�

鈥淭he seating, surround-sound techniques and atmospheric audio brings each audience member into the action,鈥� said assistant director Hannah Landis, who also portrays Reverend Hale. 鈥淓veryone gets to be right there with our characters, in our story.鈥�

For actor Joseph Seitz, the key word for the show is intimacy. Seitz, a 2022 graduate, portrays John Proctor. 鈥淚t’s almost a median between stage and film. The music provided by Perry Blosser 鈥�18 and Joseph Harder 鈥�20, alongside the intimacy of the space creates an almost film-like detail, but with live theater. It’s quite the treat.鈥�

The intimacy created by the studio theater also gives the actors unique perspective, said Anna Hoover, a senior carrying a theater minor in addition to her chemistry major. Hoover will portray Elizabeth Proctor, who along with her husband, John, is accused of witchcraft. 鈥淓very subtle expression from the actors can be seen by the audience only an arm鈥檚 length away. I think this helps my character greatly. Elizabeth is a subtle character but her face shows her thoughts rather than her words.鈥�

Character study divulges the personal and political

Poole鈥檚 direction is guiding the ensemble to delve deeply into their characterizations. Seitz鈥檚 character-building comes from 鈥渋ntrospection, direction and discussion,鈥� he said. 鈥淎s much personal reflection as I do, sometimes I need to take myself out of my own ideas of what the character should be like, and give Justin’s direction a shot, or earnestly listen to the interpretations of others. It’s been a thought-provoking process.鈥� 

For Landis, portraying Hale has given her a deeper understanding of her own beliefs and judgements. She is discovering her character鈥檚 motivations through her own self inquiry. 鈥淲hat beliefs could I hold strongly that are actually inaccurate and misguided? How often do I cling to one single story, when a true investigation could reveal my ignorance and influence my thought processes for the better?鈥� she said, 鈥淎nd if I recognize this about myself yet choose to prioritize my current beliefs over expanding my worldview, as some characters in the show do, what does that say about the beliefs I鈥檓 trying to cling to in the first place?鈥�

Each character has both a personal and a political side, said Hoover. Her character, Elizabeth, is a political representation of the people McCarthy accused of being communists. 鈥淏ut personally, she is a woman who has been betrayed by her husband, sees the fraud for what it is but can do little about it.鈥�

Much of the story鈥檚 conflict is driven by the fear of the townspeople and the judges, which keeps them from seeing the full picture, Hoover said, 鈥渁nd shows them spirits where there are none. I think this is something to keep in mind when looking at the turmoil of today.鈥�

Life lessons

Landis, Hoover and Seitz reflected on the impact of Miller鈥檚 play. The wisdom they鈥檝e gained as actors is inspiring and holds true for today鈥檚 world.

鈥淭he characters we present in Salem are forcefully uprooted from their comfortable beliefs, and I challenge us to do the same,鈥� said Landis.

鈥淚nstead of focusing on the hate being spewed,鈥� Hoover said, 鈥渁sk yourself what fear is motivating that hate and how can I help alleviate that fear.鈥�

Seitz says he’s more aware than ever of “the disastrous consequences of viewing people through a strictly black or white lens. Perhaps rather than labeling people internally as good or bad, we can hold both the triumphs and follies of people at the same time.鈥�

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Thanks to our sponsor!

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CAST

John Proctor: Joseph Seitz

Elizabeth Proctor: Anna Hoover

Abigail Williams: Greta Shrag

Reverend Hale: Hannah Landis

Deputy Governor Danforth: MaKayla Baker Paxton

Mary Warren: Eileen Hernon

Ann Putnam/Sarah Good/Susanna Walcott: Ani Beitzel

Reverend Samuel Parris: Andrew Stoltzfus

Giles Corey: Shannon Dove

Thomas Putnam/Francis Nurse: Bradley Kirkdorffer

Tituba/Judge Hawthorne: Liz Marin

Mercy Lewis: Alexis Lewis

Betty Parris: Molly Piwonka

Rebecca Nurse: Rachel Herrick

Ezekiel Cheever: Josiah Esch

John Willard: Nicholas Murch

Crew

Director: Justin Poole

Assistant Director: Hannah Landis

Collaborative Musicians: Perry Blosser and Joseph Harder

Choreographer: Ellie de Waal

Scene Designer: Shannon Dove

Lighting Designer: Robert Weaver

Stage Manager: Emma Nord

Assistant Stage Managers: Sarah Peak, Jordyn Thompson, Jordyn Dixon

Technical Director: Shannon Dove

Costume Designer and Shop Manager: Rachel Herrick

Construction and Technical Crew: Anna Hoover, Adam Hoover, Makayla Pettus, Jordyn Thompson, Alexis Lewis

Public Relations Coordinator: Alexis Lewis

Cast Photographs: Cassidy Walker

House Manager: Makayla Pettus

Box Office Manager: Sarah Regan

Theater Administrative Assistant: Daniel De Tablan

Production Assistants: Hailey Holcomb and Ezrionna Prioleau